1972 Volume 47 Issue 11 Pages 393-397
Twenty eight cases of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis converted to negative at the fourth, fifth and sixth month after the administration of RFP, 450mg once every day, were followed up for 24 months.
RFP was administered 450 mg once every day for the first six months and 450mg twice a week for the next six months. After one year RFP was given in a way as shown in table 1: RFP was not administered in 17 cases; 450 mg twice a week from the 13 th to 24 th month in 4, from the 13 th to 18 th in 2, from the 19 th to 24 th in 1, from the 20 th to 24 th in 1 and from the 22 nd to 24 th in 1 case; and 450 mg once every day from the 20th to 24th month in 1 and from the 21 st to 24 th in 1 case.
In 3 cases, previously unused two other sensitive drugs were given with RFP, in 17 cases 1 such drug was added, but in 8 cases no such drugs were available (table 1).
The background factors of 28 cases were as follows: male in 18 cases and female in 10 cases ; younger than 39 years of age in 7, between 40 and 59 in 13 and older than 60 in 8; moderately advanced in 7 and far advanced in 21; without cavity in 1, with nonsclerotic walled cavity in 1 and with sclerotic walled cavity in 26 cases.
Three cases were not followed up for 24 months because of death: one from hemoptysis at 16th month after institution of RFP, in which tubercle bacilli were consecutively negative for preceding 14 months before death, one from cor pulmonun at 11th month after starting RFP, in which tubercle bacilli were consecutively negative for preceding 10 months before death, and the third case from cor pulmonun at 15 th month after starting RFP in which tubercle bacilli were consecutively negative for preceding 13 months before death.
In 1 case tubercle bacilli became positive at 8 th month after initiation of RFP, and in 1 case bacilli became temporarily positive at 19 th month. In the remaining 24 cases negative bacilli continued up to 24 th month.
The proportion of negative cases at the 12 th, 18 th and 24 th months after administration of RFP was 96.3%, 96.0%, and 96.0%, respectively (table 2).
